1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to openable members of vehicles and, more particularly, to a stabilization system for stabilizing a liftgate of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles such as motor vehicles are typically provided with at least one openable member such as a liftgate for access to an occupant compartment of the motor vehicle. The liftgate is typically hinged to vehicle structure such as a vehicle body of the motor vehicle to allow pivotal movement of the liftgate and includes a latching mechanism to secure the liftgate to the vehicle body when closed.
In recent years, stabilization of the liftgate has become an increasingly large target to reduce noise attenuation of the motor vehicle. To accomplish a reduction in noise attenuation, the liftgate should be prevented from traveling cross-vehicle and fore/aft and vertically during various body twist frequency sweeps of the motor vehicle. One attempt at stabilizing the liftgate was to use a spring loaded plastic bumper on each side of the liftgate which would, in turn, mate with rubber stop pads. However, these bumpers and pads only provided cross-vehicle stabilization to prevent the liftgate from being excited beyond its own natural frequency into a state of impending motion. These bumpers and pads did not control movement in the fore/aft and up/down directions of the motor vehicle.